The Imaginary Guide To Game Audio at GDC 2024: Everything to hear, see and do when it comes to sound for games:

The Game Developers Conference 2024 takes place March 18-22th in San Francisco - and once again, game audio guru Damian Kastbauer has compiled the definitive guide to what to do, hear and see when it comes to game audio at the conference. So whether you use this for planning before the conference, or as a daily overview once you're there, this guide is for you - happy exploring!

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By Damian Kastbauer

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Opening | A Reflection

(Instrumental) – A Reflection, The Cure

There’s an incredible phenomenon that we’re faced with on a daily basis: Time. Physicists say that time is an emergent phenomenon that is a side effect of quantum entanglement. But I’m “simply” talking about: the knowledge of history, awareness of the present moment, imagination of the future, and the feeling of forward motion each day, in a long succession of days, months, and years that comprise the sum total of our experience. These experiences inform our understanding of history, they frame each moment as it unfolds, and inform visions of the future. 

Through the lens of our passions (and hopefully career) we reach ever-forward through the unknown as a way to manifest dreams into reality. In the context of game development, we share these dreams in-order to create experiences that have never existed, formed out of fundamental building blocks. With our heads down solving problems as they arise, it can be difficult to step back and see the arc of our collective trajectory: How close to the target did we land in-pursuit of our imagined outcome? Which is to say, we’re all a part of the process that evolves the art of interactive audio through participation, expression, contribution, and reflection.

These are some of the things on my mind as I approach this year’s Game Developers Conference: Where are we carrying the creative art of interactive audio? Where is it headed? How many of our conversations will catalyze pathways that can help evolve communication with sound in games? What small contributions today will lead to big changes in the future? What can I learn that will help me realize my creative intentions? Who can I meet that will help me unlock an idea or new way of thinking? How can I help grow the connective tissue to foster equitable communication and engender new ways of thinking? How can I stay hydrated? What day is it and what’s happening?

And finally: What is this Imaginary Guide to Game Audio really about?

Each year I attempt to frame the opportunities that exist in the biggest multiplayer game-of-game developers in the world. A choose-your-own-adventure of: education, community, celebration, and camaraderie. There’s no wrong way to play, no points or high-scores. You’ll need all of your wits, a few maps, a bag of holding, at least some gold (and likely a bit of magic) to get you through. You’ll emerge on the other side having gained experience, witnessed wonders, and hopefully bent an ear, and had your ear bent, in the direction of all that’s good in the world of audio. 

You’re an adventurer and an advocate on the wild streets of San Francisco, where there’s safety in numbers (and a fair-share of dragons). It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this. I hope that there are some words and ideas to help you through the times ahead. 

Recurring Daily | Lovesong/ Another Day

“You make me feel like I am home again” – Lovesong, The Cure
 

Morning Audio Community Meetup: 8:00 – 9:00-ish AM @ 222 2nd St

Someone recently asked me what I was looking forward to at this year’s conference and by-far the clearest answer for me is: people. For me it starts every day with the Morning Audio Community Meetup at #GameAudioGDC. This annual conversation grew from the roots of a small contingent focused on sharing their story of the conference as part of the Game Audio Podcast. It has always served as a way to carry information further, between people, in the shared discussion around what people absorb during the event. Over time, it has evolved into a semi-moderated community discussion about a few simple things:

• What happened yesterday?
• What’s happening today?

From that simple premise, those present are free to unpack the previous day’s excitement and expand the knowledge-share into a dynamic ebb and flow of conversation. What talk, concepts, interaction, or people carry forward helps to paint a clearer picture of the experience outside of one’s own traversal. Hearing how others navigated the previous days often can help inform how I approach the coming day (ex. ooh, that sounds cool…I need to make time for THAT!). From there, the table turns and people share what they’ve prioritized for the current day (ex. oooh, THAT sounds cool, I want to DO that!).

SPECIAL CALL FOR ASSISTANCE: There’s currently no plans to livestream/ podcast/ record the discussions, but If someone(s) would be interested in taking a kind of “Meeting Minutes” covering the high-points, recommendations, and sentiment of the discussion, I’d love to carry them on a daily basis to the community via the Game Audio Podcast Website. I’ve got podcast co-founder Anton Woldhek on standby to help propagate what’s happening on the ground to the wider community and share what folks are thinking. Let me know if you’re up for it!

The meetup location is just a short block away from Moscone, so grab your beverage of choice en-route and start your day in the best way. Here’s a map, so you don’t get lost first-thing in the morning:

Discord: Game Audio GDC!

Whether you keep it tuned to the #GameAudioGDC hashtag on Twitter(X)/ Bluesky/ Mastodon or prefer checking in on Discord, information definitely travels faster in the modern age. 

Folks have been rallying over at the Game Audio at GDC! server that was spun-up over the past years to support communication on the ground. There’s some great discussion over there about what to expect for your first time and great perspectives being lent by the community over there. I’ve seen folks call out for accompaniment on a late night walk, spontaneous evening plans form from a suggestion, and the best of our community pulling together in-service of the greater good. I expect that as the conference kicks off, things will get real time with folks coordinating and updating previous plans. While it’s totally cool to unplug and lead through in-person conversations and group dynamics, it’s always nice to have a place to check-in. 

Invite here: https://discord.gg/QRsCKCGBuF 

…and there’s always the Game Audio Pavilion (coordinators of the Sunday night meetup and working behind the scenes) that stays active year-round as an alternate community to keep your eyes on: https://discord.gg/HfPm5nKbxm

Lunch: Daily Lunchtime “Behind” the Carousel @ Corner of Howard/ 4th

Every day I need to eat (it’s a recurring theme) and, whether I’m in Seattle or on the ground in San Francisco, I think food tastes better with people. It turns out that many folks at the conference feel this way (or maybe it’s the sunshine and/or fresh-ish air) and so a tradition was established over the years to arrive “behind the Carousel”, food-in-hand, with other like-minded individuals. 

This casual call for mutual sustenance evolved over time to include sustenance of the mind. So whether you need a place to chill and catch up with old and new friends or you want to feed off of CarouselCon (see next) behind the Carousel (ideally, in the amphitheater set-back from the road pictured below) is where the community lands outside the walls of the conference to unwind.

CarouselCon: Daily Lunchtime “Behind” the Carousel @ Corner of Howard/ 4th

In 2017 Matthew Marteinsson began organizing and hosting a series of crowd-sourced presentations under the name CarouselCon running parallel to the lunchtime game audio meetups behind the Carousel, kitty-corner from Moscone West and set-back from the street. You can read more about the inception/ intention at The Game Audio Forum along with his encouragement, as we headed into last year’s conference, for the continuation of the event.

…and indeed, CarouselCon returned in 2023 thanks to a grassroots conglomeration of folks dedicated to surfacing community perspectives in an equitable and inclusive way. Incepted as a venue for folks to share top-of-mind experiences, important findings, random thoughts, or just plain connecting over a shared experience…CarouselCon is an all-access and open platform to listen and present from your unique perspective.

From Jeffrey Brice over at the Game Audio GDC Discord:

“Carousel Con will be taking place Wed March 20th – Friday March 22nd, starting around 12 noon each day. Will run half an hour+ depending on how many talks we have. Meet at the Amphitheater in the Yerba Buena Public Square, up the steps behind the Carousel. We may have some indoor space one day, to be determined. Come bring something to talk about for a short length of time, anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 minutes. Looking forward to seeing you all again!”

Find the folks pulling it together and get signed up to share…or roll up anytime and soak in the shower of knowledge.

Events | A Night Like This

“I’m coming to find you if it takes me all night” – A Night Like This, The Cure

There is a beauty about the schedule semblance that has emerged over the years. All of it arrives, once again, with a beautiful balance of the known and unknown. There was a time when GDC seemed quite raw and improvisational for me. In the first years of my attendance, almost 20 years ago, it felt like we were making most of it up. Today there exists a kind of template (and dare I say tradition?) reflected in the recurring events represented throughout this guide. 

To get a better perspective of what it’s like to navigate the waters, it’s worth giving this retrospective of “What’s it like to attend the Game Developers Conference for the first time as a sound designer?” penned by Wayne M Messam II at the end of last year’s conference. I especially connect with his statement about the community: 

“Despite the enormity of the event, I never felt like I didn’t belong. People were always friendly and welcoming, and I was able to make some incredible connections with people who really want to change the standard of this industry with their ideas. Whether it was striking up a conversation with someone at an after-party or attending one of the many networking events, I always felt like I was in good company.”

Dig deeper for his take on “Networking Opportunities & After-Hours Parties” align with suggestions for improving your time at the conference..

Meanwhile, the School for Video Game Audio 10 Tips for #GameAudioGDC 2024 includes wisened perspectives for a successful experience. Here’s what they have to say about pacing yourself during the marathon week of the conference:

6) Pace Your Eating, Party & Sleepy Times

• Usually parties are where I chat with new people the most and talking over meals (outside is often an option) is a great way to connect with people whenever you can.

• It’s important to be respectful of others and the GDC has a great set of guidelines to help out as well as a mandate to improve diversity: DIVERSITY EQUITY & INCLUSION. Everyone wants to have a fun time at GDC and it’s good to do what you can to support this great Community.

• It’s good to take a chance, dive in and just talk with people. You’ll never know what the future holds if you’re not willing to take some risks. Note that networking isn’t an even playing field so it’s good to be mindful to help support the community. The GDC CODE OF CONDUCT does its best to help set the tone for the conference.

• Try to stay healthy by drinking plenty of water if you happen to go out drinking and book in your sleep. Although morning coffee is fine, I’d recommend getting up later and getting more sleep if you’re just going to be a zombie all day. Packing snacks is good too.

• GDC is like a workout. Eat healthy when you can and stay rested. You’ll be walking around a lot, which is fun but also really tiring. Earplugs are essential, plus protecting your voice too!

So regardless of where the days take you, always prioritize your physical and mental health amidst the swirling opportunity-space of full-on in-person engagement. The road is long, there will be time, stay present and find your balance.

At the risk of repeating myself, here’s part of what I said last year in the Drifting Guide to Game Audio GDC 2023:

“If you are up for the challenge, find a way to surface what you learn for the benefit of folks out there watching from afar and tune-in for in-the-moment updates on where the party’s at! A word to those new to the event; When someone says “The party is at the Death Star” what they mean is the top floor of the Marriott. A classic for after conference conversation (when it’s not too packed) with a window that fits the nickname. Honestly, the party is usually wherever there are good people and good conversations to be had, so don’t be shy about making your own and maybe even starting some new traditions.”

Sunday, March 17 | 6:00pm – Pre-GDC Audio Meetup: Benders Bar

Bender’s Bar and Grill (806 South Van Ness Ave)

Early adventurers can find their way to Benders Bar in the Mission District Sunday night for a little informal pre-event coordinated by Dylan Seligman of the (aforementioned) Game Audio Pavilion/ Game Audio at GDC Discords. An open-invitation for wayward travelers that favors the bold. If you are so inclined, after jumping BART South, it’s just a short walk from either the 16th or 24th St. Mission stops and a nice way to get acclimated to life on foot for what will be a week of straight-up-hustle on the streets of San Francisco. The second year running, this is starting to cement itself as the best way to kick-off the week amongst early arrivers.  Excited conversations full of speculation for the days to come should be expected…and if I remember correctly, plenty of tater tots!

Monday, March 18 | 8:00pm – Andrew Prahlow Performing Music from Outer Wilds with Live Orchestra & Special Guests

The Regency Ballroom – Purchase Tickets in Advance

Tuesday, March 19 | 6:00pm – Game Audio Denizens Pizza with a Purpose 

GADA Charity Event: California Pizza Kitchen (53 3rd St, San Francisco, CA 94103)

The time is set for our normal Dinner period, but the donation is possible ALL DAY LONG, so even if you stop by for lunch, merely mentioning the organization will get CPK to donate–no additional cost to you. Mention the Game Audio Diversity Alliance on your visit to the 53 Third Street California Pizza Kitchen on March 19th, 2024 and CPK will donate 20% of its food and beverage sales to the Game Audio Diversity Alliance!

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GADA has funded trips to conferences for 15 scholars with 5 more traveling to GDC 2024.

Additionally, GADA has funded 6 scholarships to attend a program through the School of Video Game Audio.

The Game Audio Diversity Alliance is a 501(c)3 Charity dedicated toward building a more inclusive and diverse game audio industry; by creating career advancement opportunities for underrepresented voices through education, mentoring, networking, and financial support.

You can learn more at: https://gameaudiodiversityalliance.org/

Wednesday, March 20 | 6:30pm – 8:30pm – Independent Games Festival and Game Developers Choice Awards

GDC Main Stage Pass Type: All Access Pass, Core Pass, Summits Pass, Expo Pass, Audio Pass, Indie Games Summit Pass

The equivalent to our industries Oscars and Cannes Film Festival all rolled into one, the IGF and GDC Awards is a highly produced pageant of flashing pixels, sparkling personalities, and throbbing music. Last year there was an incredibly touching speech from an indie developer that called out the art and artists of sound that, had I been present, would have likely brought a tear to my eye. If you’ve never been, it’s always worth a shot…and if you’ve been before, you know what you’re in for. Regardless, you’ll never hear me complain about a chance to take a load off and celebrate the incredible achievements each year as part of the awards ceremony. 

Thursday, March 21 | 7:30 – 9:30pm – Game Audio Network Guild Awards: 2016 West

Room 2016, West Hall – Required Pass Type: All Access Pass, Core Pass, Summits Pass, Expo Pass, Audio Pass, Independent Games Summit Pass

Regardless of how you feel about awards ceremonies, we can all agree that the Guild pulls together one of the largest game audio-focused community events with the goal of celebrating the people and sounds of last year’s games. A moment to kick-back and take-in some great examples of interactive audio? A chance to make some noise for the teams and people behind some of the most memorable moments in game audio? An after-party that is absolutely worth sticking around for? All of this can be true and over the last years they’ve been doing a good job of making it worth your time.

I’ve said it before: Put on your #SocksOfGameAudio, paint up those #NailsOfGameAudio, and make sure you bring a GDC Pass with you. (Required for entry)

Friday, March 22 | 5:00pm – School of Video Game Audio Meetup: Behind the Carousel

The School of Video Game Audio will be hosting their annual GDC meetup on Friday afternoon at 5pm behind the Carousel. This is often the last chance to high-five and hug before the four winds carry folks off for evening decompressions. Come to catch the last embers of conference conversation and to stoke the fires of future conversations yet to come.

TBD, March When | 0:00 – 0:00pm – Game Audio Karaoke WHERE?

Is this happening? Is it all a dream? Nothing to report yet…stay tuned and keep me posted if plans coalesce.

GDC Party List

You know the internet, a constantly changing amalgamation of pixels on screens connecting all of us through a shared pursuit of communication? Yeah, there’s a GDC 2024 Party List you can keep an eye for other ideas of what to do and how to spend time.

Monday | Hot Hot Hot!!!

“Dancing, screaming, itching, squealing, fever feeling” – Hot, Hot, Hot, The Cure

What happens on Monday is anyone’s guess. I’ll be kicking off the week with the inaugural Morning Audio Community Meetup from 8-9am (see above) and beating a wild-path until lunchtime behind the carousel. If you’ve arrived early for the conference, this might be your last chance to freestyle your way around San Francisco to soak up the sights. The outdoor space behind Yerba Buena Gardens always yields fabulous people and anticipatory conversations, weather permitting. It’s also not a bad day to center-oneself and prepare for the oncoming marathon. So stretch out and think outside the box.

If you’ve gone all-in with a Summits or All Access Pass, Monday is an exciting day of focused presentations across disciplines and that also includes the Independent Games and Experimental Workshops (among others). Your first chance to step outside of audio until the Audio Summit kicks off on Tuesday and a great opportunity to get some perspective on what’s happening in other disciplines like: Visual Effects, Tabletop Gaming, Machine Learning, Game Narrative, Free to Play, Animation, Advanced Graphics, Community Management, AI, UX,  and the recently added Future Realities. 

Here are a few things happening on Monday that sound great:

2:10pm – 2:40pm – INDEPENDENT GAMES SUMMIT: SENSITIVE, EMOTIONAL & INTIMATE: WORKING WITH CHALLENGING THEMES IN ‘THE QUIET THINGS’
Speaker: Kirsty Gillmore (Sounds Wilde)
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Summits Pass, Indie Games Summit Pass

3:00pm – 3:30pm – INDEPENDENT GAMES SUMMIT: ‘VENBA’: AN INTIMATE JOURNEY THROUGH SOUND
Speaker: Neha Patel (Independent)
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Summits Pass, Indie Games Summit Pass

3:50pm – 4:20pm – INDEPENDENT GAMES SUMMIT: HOW TO MAKE THINGS “POP” WITH AUDIO AND COLOR
Speakers: Inna Hansen (Triple Topping), Martin Kvale (Noknok Audio)
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Summits Pass, Indie Games Summit Pass

4:40pm – 5:10pm – UX SUMMIT: LOUD AND CLEAR: IMPROVING ACCESSIBILITY FOR LOW VISION PLAYERS IN ‘COSMONIOUS HIGH’
Speakers: Jazmin Cano (Owlchemy Labs), Peter Galbraith (Owlchemy Labs)
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Summits Pass

Tuesday | Fascination Street

“Oh, it’s opening time down on Fascination Street so let’s cut the conversation and get out for a bit…”  – Fascination Street, The Cure

Renamed years ago, the Audio Summit is no longer a “Bootcamp” or simple 101 of Game Audio. The basic knowledge and understanding of tools, techniques, along with the unique qualities of interactive audio, are widely known and readily available. People arrive on the first day more equipped than ever to soak in the knowledge about to flow from every conference room. As such, the Audio Summit has shifted to present a comprehensive array of presentations across a broad spectrum of topics that appeal to all levels of experience. As co-coordinator of the Audio Summit, along with Scott Selfon, I can say that the presentations selected each year attempt to represent a cross-section of game audio perspectives delivered with clarity to all experience levels with concrete take-ways that benefit everyone.

This year there are presentations across the usual music, sound, and voice categories echoing the pillars of our discipline. However, each talk brings something specific alongside the general: for music, it’s “Developing a Strong Musical Identity in Video Games”, for sound, it’s “How Sound Can Make You Feel”, while voice covers “Casting to Completion While Avoiding Pitfalls”. Each talk offers a unique lens on the general topic while expanding on the basics. Other presentations go wider to cover diverse topics: Audio QA, Haptics Design, Audio Tools, Working with different team dynamics, and finally an answer to the perennial question of “How do you make Casual Game Players’ Turn their Audio On?”.

Don’t forget to land during the lunch hour to get interactive with the presenters while they rotate between different tables. The chance to ask questions and explore topics with each of these experienced professionals in realtime can help connect-the-dots between ideas and reality. If you’ve done your homework, you’ll arrive with focused questions that leverage each presenters background while leaving room for spontaneity and natural curiosity. 

So whether you’re new to game audio or steeped in years of development experience there is bound to be something fresh to add to the wealth of knowledge and bring you firmly into the moment of what’s happening.

Here’s the lineup for the Audio Summit:

9:30 am – 10:30 am AUDIO SUMMIT: DEVELOPING STRONG MUSICAL IDENTITY IN VIDEO GAMES Speaker: Ariel Contreras-Esquivel  (Independent)

10:50 am – 11:50 am AUDIO SUMMIT: SPEECH PRODUCTION: CASTING TO COMPLETION AND AVOIDING PITFALLS Speaker: Adele Cutting  (Soundcuts Ltd)

12:20pm – 1:20pm AUDIO SUMMIT: LUNCHTIME SURGERIES Speakers: Renaud Barne  (Demute), Jorge Garcia  (Electronic Arts), Ariel Contreras-Esquivel  (Independent), Adele Cutting  (Soundcuts Ltd), Brigitte Dajczer  (Music Salad Studio Inc.), Tyler Hoffman  (Insomniac Games), Dominique Devoucoux  (King), Em Halberstadt  (A Shell in the Pit)

1:20pm – 1:50pm AUDIO SUMMIT: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN DESIGNING AND DEVELOPING AUDIO TOOLS Speaker: Jorge Garcia  (Electronic Arts)

2:10pm – 2:40pm AUDIO SUMMIT: HAPTIC DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ‘MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN 2’ Speaker: Tyler Hoffman  (Insomniac Games)

3:00pm – 3:30pm AUDIO SUMMIT: AUDIO QA: GETTING USEFUL FEEDBACK ON YOUR AUDIO WORK Speaker: Renaud Barne  (Demute)

3:30pm – 3:50pm COFFEEEEEEEEEEEEE

3:50pm – 4:20pm AUDIO SUMMIT: FROM AAA TO INDIE AUDIO TEAMS: REMAINING FLEXIBLE IS THE KEY Speaker: Brigitte Dajczer  (Music Salad Studio Inc.)

4:40pm – 5:10pm AUDIO SUMMIT: HOW DO YOU MAKE CASUAL GAMES’ PLAYERS TURN THEIR AUDIO ON? Speaker: Dominique Devoucoux  (King)

5:30pm – 6:30pm AUDIO SUMMIT: HOW SOUND CAN MAKE YOU FEEL Speaker: Em Halberstadt  (A Shell in the Pit)

Roundtables | Six Different Ways

“I’ll tell them anything at all, I know I’ll give the world and more” – Six Different Ways, The Cure

Each year, for the last 18 years, I’ve approached the conference with the same wide-eyed excitement: the anticipation of conversations at a comfortable depth, some that wade into the deep end, and others that go completely over my head. I’ve been incredibly thankful to bend the ear, and have my ear bent, by some folks who I feel are among the most creative and inspirational minds in the industry. Having access to this inspiration doesn’t always start with conversations and they don’t necessarily end with presentations. 

Somewhere in the middle are the recurring roundtables spread across Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday with the goal of these open-format conversations to encourage the free-exchange of ideas. Topical, focused, and moderated, these can be an excellent opportunity to get things out of your head, share experience, lend a perspective, and channel the moment. 

All of the passes allow access to the GDC Vault for one year (and after that, most presentations end up free to access) but the roundtables are alive only in-person. That often puts many of these discussions ahead of other presentations that can wait until after the conference. Which is to say, it’s worth finding your way to these well moderated and insightful moments that live on, only in memory.

Here are a few that seem like they would be worth your time:
 

DIVERSITY IN GAME AUDIO 

Wednesday, March 20 | 9:00am – 10:00am 

Speakers: Chase Bethea  (Independent), Noa Beazley  (Independent), Katelyn Isaacson  (Independent), Star Victoria Power  (Slide20XX)
 

AUDIO DIRECTORS 

Wednesday, March 20 | 3:30pm – 4:30pm

Thursday, March 21 | 4:00pm – 5:00pm

Speakers: Lydia Andrew  (EA DICE), Jason Kanter  (Avalanche Studios)
 

GAME AUDIO BUSINESS 

Wednesday, March 20 | 5:00pm – 6:00pm – RUNNING A FREELANCE BUSINESS

Thursday, March 21 | 10:00am – 11:00am – COMPOSER AGENTS

Friday, March 22 | 11:30am – 12:30pm – MUSIC INCOME STREAMS

Speakers: Richard Ludlow  (Hexany Audio), Debbie Gonzalez  (The Sound Lab a Keywords Studio), Jeff Broadbent  (Independent), Michael Sweet  (Independent)
 

GAME AUDIO PROGRAMMING 

Wednesday, March 20 | 5:00pm – 6:00pm – GAME INTEGRATION

Thursday, March 21 | 5:30pm – 6:30pm – LOW-LEVEL TOPICS

Friday, March 22 | 3:00pm – 4:00pm – FREE-FOR-ALL

Speakers: Guy Somberg  (Echtra Games), Helen Yang  (Epic Games)
 

REMOTELY POSSIBLE 

Friday, March 22 | 10:00am – 11:00am – BUILDING YOUR GAME AUDIO CAREER FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME

Speakers: ZW Buckley  (Plant Based Audio), Katherine Tole  (Plant Based Audio), Laryssa Okada  (Independent), Jasmine Cooper  (Perennial Sounds LLC)

Town Halls | Faith

“Lost forever in a happy crowd” – Faith, The Cure

GDC is a once-a-year opportunity that brings together the largest conglomeration of industry professionals and other folks finding their way through the maelstrom of interactive development. It can feel simultaneously overwhelming and empowering. Overwhelming, because wow…the full spectrum of the medium and its purveyors can be an incredible thing to witness taking over the streets of San Francisco. Empowering, because (also wow) the possibility of working together towards change is palpable between people when they put their heads together. 

Each of the organizations that represent the audio community will meet and discuss the work that’s being done while opening the stage for individuals to bring forward issues that need to be heard. It’s worth finding your way to these if you’re interested in some of the concerns facing our industry and especially interesting if you have issues to bring (or energy to spare!).
 

Thursday, March 21 | 12:45pm – 1:45pm – IASIG TOWN HALL 3002 West

https://schedule.gdconf.com/session/30th-annual-iasig-town-hall/903398
 

Friday, March 22 | 12:15pm – 1:15pm – G.A.N.G. TOWN HALL 3002 West

https://schedule.gdconf.com/session/gang-town-hall/903402

Wednesday | Doing the Unstuck

“It’s a perfect day for letting go” – Doing the Unstuck, The Cure

Now the real challenge begins: with the Expo floor open and parallel Audio presentations (not to mention other disciplines across the whole conference) how can one possibly be expected to choose? You have the GDC Main Conference Audio Advisory Group to thank for the burden of choice across the next day’s events. (and thank them you should!) They’ve been working to make every hour of the Audio Track a study in (equal parts) inspiration and FOMO. And while you’re at it, give thanks to the Conference Associates who are shining a bright light when you’re lost at the conference or in need of assistance. Their presence is a gift and a treasure.

If you’re cueing up for the Morning Audio Community Meetups (see above) then it’s likely someone will share their experience and help fill in the gaps between unseen presentations. In the meantime, here are some of the sessions I hope that folks will fill me in on while I’m holding down the Audiokinetic Booth on the Expo floor all week (and don’t forget to check out the Schedule of Wwise Community Presentations hosted at the booth Wednesday to Friday)

Here are a few on Wednesday I hope you catch:

9:00am – 10:00am – I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST ‘SOMERVILLE’

Speakers: Jay Steen  (SweejTech), Matteo Cerquone  (Jumpship)

10:30am – 11:30am – TUNES OF THE KINGDOM: EVOLVING PHYSICS AND SOUNDS FOR ‘THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: TEARS OF THE KINGDOM’

Speakers: Takuhiro Dohta  (Nintendo Co., Ltd.), Junya Osada  (Nintendo Co., Ltd.), Takahiro Takayama  (Nintendo Co., Ltd.)

11:30am – 12:00pm – LEARNINGS FROM WORKING WITH VOICE ACTORS REMOTELY

Speaker: Adam Ritchie (Senior Voice Designer, Massive Entertainment – A Ubisoft Studio)

11:30am – 12:00pm – IN YOUR HEAD: AUDIO-DRIVEN EVERYTHING IN ‘ALAN WAKE 2’ AND ITS MIND PLACE

Speaker: Joshua Bell  (Remedy Entertainment)

2:00pm – 3:00pm – ‘DIABLO IV’: AUDIO SYSTEMS DEEP DIVE “LIVING AUDIO”

Speakers: Kris Giampa  (Blizzard Entertainment), Michael Bartnett  (Blizzard Entertainment)

3:30pm – 4:30pm – REMOTELY POSSIBLE: MENTAL HEALTH AND YOUR WORK FROM HOME SPACE

Speakers: ZW Buckley  (Plant Based Audio), Laryssa Okada  (Independent), Katherine Tole  (Plant Based Audio), Jasmine Cooper  (Perennial Sounds LLC)

5:00pm – 6:00pm – THE ART OF CHERRY-PICKING: SELECTIVELY IGNORING CAREER ADVICE

Speakers: Megan Carnes  (Independent), David Su  (Brass Lion Entertainment), Jamie Lee  (A Shell in the Pit)

Thursday | In Between Days

“Come back, come back, don’t walk away…Come back, come back, come back today” – In Between Days, The Cure

Every presentation is a reflection of some hard-won knowledge learned over the course of development. The hours of craft and determination involved with helping to realize the creative vision of a dynamic and interactive audio experience cannot be measured by time or KPI equations. Equipped with the knowledge transference, attendees file out into the hallway where continued discussion can ensue: unpacking terminology, expanding on concepts, and gaining a greater understanding through words shared by people. Be mindful in these moments of group conversation. Invite folks from the fringe to lend their perspective, leave space for alternate points-of-view, and help to create an equitable and inclusive space during these moments. Your action (or inaction) may make the difference for someone finding their way to game audio and can shape the world as it unfolds outward. 

Here are a few presentations I’d love to be in the hallway conversations for afterwards:

10:00am – 11:00am – MIXING ‘MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN 2’

Speaker: Blake Johnson  (Insomniac Games)

11:30am – 12:30pm – EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED: AMBIENT SOUND IN ‘AVATAR: FRONTIERS OF PANDORA’

Speakers: David Osternacher  (Massive Entertainment – A Ubisoft Studio), Alex Riviere  (Massive Entertainment – A Ubisoft Studio)

2:00pm – 3:00pm – ‘BALDUR’S GATE 3’: A FIRESIDE CHAT (PRESENTED BY DOLBY LABORATORIES)

Sponsor Speakers: Stefan Randelshofer  (Larian Studios), Alistair Hirst  (Dolby Laboratories)

3:00pm – 3:30pm – ‘DESTINY 2’: WEAVING MUSIC BETWEEN ACTIVITIES AND THE OPEN WORLD

Speakers: Pete Kugler  (Bungie), Cameron Konner  (Bungie)

4:00pm – 5:00pm – HEARING THROUGH THE CHAOS: WORKING AS AUDIO QA ON ‘SUICIDE SQUAD: KILL THE JUSTICE LEAGUE’

Speaker: Georgia Mae Ayling  (Rocksteady Studios Ltd)

5:30pm – 6:30pm – CLOSING THE GENDER GAP IN GAME AUDIO DESIGN

Speakers: Debbie Gonzalez  (The Sound Lab a Keywords Studio), Kat Wenske  (Team Audio), Monet Gardiner  (Sony Interactive Entertainment PlayStation), Alexandra Takei  (Ruckus Games), Gina Zdanowicz  (Serial Lab Sound)
 

Friday | Friday I’m In Love/ Just Like Heaven

“It’s a perfect day for letting go” – Friday I’m in Love, The Cure

What’s left to say. By the time Friday rolls around your mind will be split between two worlds: the world that came before GDC and the swiftly approaching end of GDC. You’ll wonder how it can possibly be? Days ago, you were a sponge with unlimited absorption potential and now, faced with the last official day of the conference, you’ll be desperately seeking the last precious drops of knowledge while simultaneously overflowing with a burden of fresh thoughts. Fear not, the end is nigh and time will heal all wounds while memories of days past will return to you in the future like lightning bolts of raw information. Threads are already unraveling to be woven back together over the next years. Fortify, formulate, and find your way forward ‘cause it’s Friday, I’m in love!

Here are some suggestions for filling yourself to the brim:

10:00am – 11:00am – FINDING SPACE FOR SOUND: ACOUSTICS IN ‘AVATAR: FRONTIERS OF PANDORA’

Speaker: Robert Bantin  (Massive Entertainment)

11:30am – 12:00pm – DIALOGUE INNOVATION IN ‘MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN 2’: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF USHERING IN THE BREATHING SYSTEM

Speaker: Matthew Strasser  (Insomniac Games)

1:30pm – 2:30pm – LISTEN THROUGH THE ‘VIEWFINDER’: AUDIO IMPLEMENTATION IN A PICTURESQUE SIMULATION

Speaker: Oda Tilset  (Noknok Audio)

3:20pm – 4:20pm  – GAME CAREER SEMINAR: FINDING YOUR GROOVE AS MUSICIANS IN GAME AUDIO

Speakers: Jamie Lee  (A Shell in the Pit), Mark Berg  (Electronic Arts), Mason Victoria  (Disruptive Games)
 

Expo | Pictures of You

Remembering you running soft through the night” – Pictures of You, The Cure
There’s a frenetic energy that is pervasive on the Expo floor. A human pinball game bouncing people between booths via invisible choreography. Whether you’re going for maximum swag, hoping to dive deep into tools and technology, get wild with the latest indie or experimental games, or connect with the community there is a lot to do at the Expo in the North and Sound Halls (underground) without ever setting foot in the West Hall where most of the presentations are held. Read-on for some details on the audio-centric booths along with scheduled audio-focused presentations and demonstrations.
 

Game Audio Community Space S1243

A few years ago, the conference began carving out improvisational space for different disciplines, including the Game Audio Community space. Plush carpet, comfy seating, and a collection of like-minded folks often accompanies the location on the Expo floor. A place where everything from good conversation to spontaneous jam sessions (instruments provided in the past!) or singalongs can erupt in the moments between. Whether you’re killing time before nearby scheduled event, looking to unwind and space-out, or hoping to connect with new friends, there’s a place for it at the Expo.
 

Audiokinetic Community Presentations – Audiokinetic Booth S1541

The folks behind Wwise and Strata at Audiokinetic land at the booth every year equipped to talk about and demonstrate the exciting things that are available to empower audio creators to realize their interactive visions. Whether you’re new to the tools and looking for some insight or are looking to get deep with some of the bright minds behind the software and systems, the Audiokinetic booth has always been a destination for me. (even more-so now that I work for them!) This year the booth will be hosting three days of presentations in their “Audio Community Theater” featuring developers using Wwise. Envisioned as a secondary learning pathway for folks who might not have opted for the Audio or All-Access pass, there’s no excuse not to take a load off and Wwise Up!

Here’s the 2024 Schedule:
 

Wednesday, March 20th 

10:30am | Baldur’s Gate 3: An Audio Technical Deep Dive

Stefan Randelshofer (Audio Director, Larian Studios)
 

1:30pm | In Your Head: Audio-Driven Everything in ‘Alan Wake 2’ and its Mind Place

Josh Bell (Senior Technical Audio Designer, Remedy Entertainment)
 

2:30pm | Troubleshooting with Wwise

Guillaume Renaud (Technical Customer Support Lead, Audiokinetic)
 

3:30pm | Haptic Feedback 101 & Practical Applications in Wwise

Rodrigo Robinet (Sound Designer, PlayStation)

Tyler Hoffman (Sound Designer, Insomniac Games)
 

Thursday, March 21st

10:30am | The Audio of XDefiant

Nicholas Bonardi (Audio Director, Ubisoft San Francisco)

Brian DiDomenico (Lead Audio Designer, Ubisoft San Francisco)
 

11:30am | How to Voice Dynamic Content Using ReadSpeaker’s On-Device Text-To-Speech Solution Through Wwise.

Pontus Melin (Product Manager, ReadSpeaker)
 

1:30pm | Somerville Audio Deep-Dive

Matteo Cerquone (Audio Director, Jumpship)

Jay Steen (Tech Director, SweejTech)
 

2:30pm | TBA

3:30pm | Wwhat’s New & Wwhat’s Next with Wwise

Damian Kastbauer (Product Manager, Audiokinetic)
 

4:30pm | Wwise Spatial Audio: Acoustics

Thalie Keklikian (Software Developer, Audiokinetic)
 

Friday, March 22nd

10:30am | It Takes Two – Inhouse Music with Collaboration

Gustaf Grefberg (Music Designer, Hazelight Studios)
 

1:15pm | Finding Space For Sound: Acoustics in ‘Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora’

Robert Bantin (Snowdrop Audio Architect, Massive Entertainment)
 

2:15pm | Haptics Design and Workflow Presentation and Hands-On Session

Kristian Svane Rømer (Senior Sound Designer, IO-Interactive)

Please keep an eye out for any schedule changes on https://info.audiokinetic.com/gdc-2024 

Book Signing – Rutledge/ CRC Booth

Wednesday at 3pm

“The Theory and Practice of Writing Music for Games” – Book Signing with Many Luminaries at the CRC Booth on the GDC floor, announcement coming!
 

Epic – Unreal Audio Booth S527

“At the Epic booth in the Expo, the UE Audio team will be continuously demoing UEFN Patchwork, a new UGC music creation system in Fortnite built on MetaSounds. Attendees will be able to join in on a real-time networked musical jam session. They will also be demonstrating some of the latest developments in UE Audio tools such as the new audio profiler, Audio Insights.”
 

ReadSpeaker S2045

“ReadSpeaker is leading the way in embedded text-to-speech. ReadSpeaker offers a range of powerful text-to-speech solutions for instantly deploying lifelike, tailored voice interaction in any environment.”” 

If you’ve ever considered Text To Speech to stand-up dialog quickly to help understand the storytelling process during development, you’ll want to drop by the ReadSpeaker booth to hear about what they’re doing to enable “…lifelike, tailored voice interaction” for interactive development.
 

FMOD – Firelight Booth Booth S1457

“This year Firelight will be showcasing 4 Demo stations with 2 featuring game projects from FMOD customers.  We will also be discussing the future plans and new features of FMOD Studio 2.03”

IASIG Booth S203

Tuesday, March 21st | 3:00 – 4:00pm – IASIG/IGDA Networking Meet & Greet

Wednesday, March 22nd | 2:00 – 3:00pm – IASIG/IGDA Amazing Audio Trivia

Closing | Closedown/ Homesick

“I’m running out of time, I’m out of step and closing down” – Closedown, The Cure

It’s hard to describe the feelings that surface every year during the conference. Some are easy to name: excitement, elation, humbled, honored, hope are a few that resonate. Others are harder to pin down: nostalgia, quandary, concern, and feelings that can’t be named regarding the state of our industry, our community, and our world. While the conference doesn’t take place abstracted from parallel timelines exploding across the globe, it can feel like the whole world when you’re on the ground living moment-to-moment. It requires your full capacity to acknowledge the gift of time between people at the imaginary center of the universe for one week. But these moments carry forward with each of us after we part ways.

Ask me at any other time of the year and I’ll be quick with an answer to: What am I working on? When I step into the flow of time on the ground during GDC there is no easy answer. The task is multidimensional. The quest has no destination. The outcome is uncertain. The question just begets more questions. The experience is its own answer and it doesn’t need to be more than that. 

To quote Andrei Tarkovsky, a director who’s image introduces this article:

“If you look for meaning, you’ll miss everything that happens.”

It’s the work that comes later, between GDCs if that’s how you measure time, that will tell the story of what happened. Or what happened next. 

Looping right back to the beginning: How will this time together change the outcome of our way forward? How will we use what we’ve learned to change things for the better? What perspective will be gained that could prevent us from the same traps? Will we have changed as part of our interactions? Will our choices have consequences that result in a richer storyline? Will we be part of something bigger, something inclusive, something that carries outside of the slice of time shared together?

Here are some final words culled from previous guides to help close things out:

The Drifting Guide to Game Audio GDC 2023:

If it’s your first time pounding the pavement, try to find folks you can navigate the streets with…especially in the evening when paths get nebulous and neighborhoods unknown. Safety levels can change on a block-by-block basis and some of that change can be insulated when you’re with a group of folks beating a hasty trajectory between hang outs. If you’re returning, try to impart some of your hard-won wisdom about the wilder parts of downtown. Pay attention, offer to walk with someone if they’re headed out or suggest a happy trail to get them where they’re headed that might bypass some of the rough spots.

Stay in the moment, feel all the feels, and I hope to see you in San Francisco!

The Bohemian Guide to Game Audio GDC 2019:

“Have a look at the GDC Code of Conduct before you hit town and engage its guidelines while onsite (and continue to adhere to its sensible advice even outside of the presentation hall). Forming relationships and cultivating conversations should begin with mutual respect; always stay positive and within the bounds of social etiquette. Find ways to include people in your adventures when possible. Find ways to bring other people into your conversations, and always treat people in the best way possible. We choose this opportunity as ambassadors of audio in the game development community, so lead with the greatest optimism, collaboration, humbleness, and grace in-conversation.”

P.S.

Each year’s Guide contains an homage to some of my favorite bands. This year’s headers have been embedded with album and song titles from the band The Cure. There is no other band in my history that stretches so far across experiences while continuing to provide a comforting sense of center for me. It’s a wide body of work that’s worth needle-dropping across release to get a sample of different flavours and phases. Enjoy!

Bio: Damian Kastbauer is a Software Product Manager at Audiokinetic helping to grow the future of interactive audio along with the interactive audio community.

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